The invention relates to a compact printer system able to print full-color, business card size documents from a device about the size of a pen. The system includes various hot-connectable modules that provide a range of functions. In particular the invention relates to a serial bus that facilitates physical and logical connection between modules.
Reference may be had to co-pending applications claiming priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application number PQ0560 dated May 25, 1999. The co-pending applications describe related modules and methods for implementing the compact printer system. The co-pending applications are as follows:
Microelectronic manufacturing techniques have led to the miniaturization of numerous devices. Mobile phones, personal digital assistant devices, and digital cameras are very common examples of the miniaturization trend.
One device that has not seen the advantage of microelectronic manufacturing techniques is the printer. Commercially available printers are large compared to many of the devices they could support. For instance, it is impractical to carry a color printer for the purpose of instantly printing photographs taken with known compact digital cameras.
A compact printhead has been described in co-pending United States Patent Applications filed simultaneously to the present application and hereby incorporated by cross reference:
Having a number of physical slots and connectors on a device such as a digital camera has an effect on the size, the cost, and the functionality of the device. The more physical connectivity standards a camera has to support the more the physical number of connectors the camera must have. To be fully modular a compact printer system must have common connectivity between modules and a serial bus to support the connectivity.
In one form, the invention resides in a compact printer system comprising:
a printer module having a fall-width stationary printhead for printing a stored image on printable media in a single pass and having at least one first connection means;
at least one further module, each having at least one second connection means connectable to said printer module;
said first and second connection means including physical connection means and logical connection means providing both power connection and data connection;
said physical connection means comprising a plug on a male connection means and a socket on a corresponding female connection means; wherein
said logical connection means comprises a universal serial bus and said printer module and said at least one further module are stackable together in a series manner by connecting a male connection means on one said module to a female connection means on another said module.